In a relatively complex project, it is commonplace to maintain status information for the project. For example, a manufacturer of a relatively complex electronic product commonly wishes to keep track of the status of each phase of the manufacturing of the product, the status of the manufacturing of each system component, etc. Typically, to maintain such status information, a computer system and database are employed as a status system, and such status system receives and stores a plurality of pre-determined goals and sub-goals (i.e., project milestones), as well as information regarding when each project milestone is reached. One such status system is Work and Force Administration system, designed and/or marketed by Telcordia Technologies (formerly Bellcore) of Morristown, N.J.
With such a status system, status information regarding the status of a product in production is available to the manufacturer thereof almost instantaneously. Notably, the customer for whom the product is being manufactured would likely appreciate if not demand that such status information be available to it, too, almost instantaneously. However, and as is to be readily appreciated, providing such customer with access to the manufacturer's status system raises serious security issues, among other things. As a result, such access is not usually provided, even though this may in turn require that the manufacturer constantly update the customer on the status of the product under manufacture.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method and a system to automatically notify the customer of updates in the status of the product under manufacture without providing the customer with direct access to the manufacturer's status system.